Summary: How William Shakespeare Uses Literary Devices To Express Hamlet’s Feelings

Hamlet's soliloquy is important for several reasons. Firstly, he made a promise to his father's ghost to act swiftly to avenge his father's murder. In this monologue Hamlet expresses anger himself for not yet done anything, he compares himself to one of the actors who in acting express the emotion in a thoughtful way causing the audience to feel how he feels even when he has no reason to do so.

In contrast, Hamlet cannot do the thing even though he has all the reasons to do so. The contrast makes it clear that Hamlet believes himself a coward. He asks several rhetorical questions in this instance, for example, 'Am I a coward? Who calls me a villain? Plucks off my beard, and blows it in my face? Tweaks me by my nose?' Hamlet states that if anyone should do these things to mock or humiliates him for his weakness he should not feel offended, the only reason why they should do so is that he has less courage than a harmless pigeon.

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The monologue displays him clearly with self-knowledge and self-loathing, this introspection makes him realize some bitter truth about himself, such he does not dare to proceed in his revenge. He metaphorically compares himself to an ass, a fool. He uses sarcasm by mentioning that it is indeed brave with him driven by heaven and hell to commit his vengeance. He is only able to act by expressing his emotions through words and not actions. He uses smiley to compare himself to a whore and a worthless swearing kitchen maid, example 'prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell must like a whore unpacked my heart with words and follow cursing like a very drab a scullion.

Hamlet in his monologue clearly shows his total dislike and disapproval for his uncle Claudius, he shouts out passionately 'treacherous villain.' Hamlet uses powerful metaphors and adjectives to express his strong disgust, example 'Claudius is a man without morals and kindness.'

During the speech that Hamlet finally decides to do something to honor the pledge that he made to his father's ghost. He now decides that he will use a plight to determine Claudius's guilt in his father's murder. He will have the actors enact a scene similar to his father's murder. He will then carefully watch Claudius's reaction. If Claudius should act guiltily, Hamlet will know exactly what to do. Interestingly, Hamlet uses such a careful indirect method to determine Claudius's guilt. Moments earlier he expresses reckless determination to punish Claudius.

Hamlet's monologue reveals that he does not entirely trust the ghost, he declares 'the spirit that I have seen maybe the devil and the devil has the power to assume a shape … abuses me to damn me.' Hamlet believes the ghost might be just a devil who has taken on the shape of his father to tempt his emotional condition and to do evil leading him to a path of damnation. Hamlet believes a need a better ground to action and declares that the play would be a better guarantee in proving Claudius's guilt, for example' … I'll catch the conscience of the King.'